Orlando Pirates midfielder Patrick Maswanganyi called out over 'disrespectful' transfer saga - 'He isolates himself'

The Orlando Pirates legend has not held back in his assessment of Patrick Maswanganyi's recent behaviour, labelling the midfielder's conduct as 'disrespectful' amid reports of an imminent exit.

Tito was missing from the squad that faced Sekhukhune United in the MTN8 semi-final second leg on Saturday.

Lekoelea believes the player's attitude suggests his head has already been turned by a lucrative offer from abroad.

"Tito is showing disrespect. His behaviour indicates that he has already received an offer from another club, which may be influencing his conduct," he declared.

"Tito was going to be a key player for Pirates this season, and his departure happens at the wrong time as this was expected to be his breakthrough season," Lekoelea told KickOff.

The former Pirates star expressed deep disappointment in how Maswanganyi has allegedly distanced himself from the rest of the group during a crucial period of the campaign.

Lekoelea noted that the midfielder's body language in recent weeks has been a cause for concern, suggesting that the Bafana Bafana international is no longer invested in the collective success of the Soweto giants as they chase silverware.

"While I am not really surprised, I am still disappointed," he continued.

"It's clear that he is no longer enjoying his time at Pirates. For example, his teammates are singing and celebrating together, yet he isolates himself, which suggests a lack of team spirit.

"As a professional, he is expected to behave accordingly, as he is a role model for younger teammates. Such behaviour can easily make the fans turn against him."

Lekoelea also raised concerns over the standard of football in Bahrain, warning that Maswanganyi could risk sacrificing his status as a Pirates star for a move to a less prestigious league.

"Also, I don't really know anything about Bahrain, a country that is not known for football," Lekoelea concluded.

"Given the stature of Pirates, Tito is popular because he is playing for Pirates. We don't know how his career will turn out going forward if he does leave, and only time will tell if he is going to regret pushing for a move."

Head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has done little to squash the exit rumours, admitting that the situation involving Maswanganyi is largely out of his hands.

Following Bucs' 1-0 win against Sekhukhune United, the Moroccan tactician was vague when asked why one of his most influential players was left out of the matchday squad.

"For the other player [Maswanganyi], I cannot say too much about the issue. He is not injured. He was available, but I cannot speak about something that I don't masterise in," Ouaddou said.